MOONRISE by Joseph Hagen

Author:Joseph Hagen [Hagen, Joseph]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: BookBaby

Even as Autumn and Wise drove through the park, Alan leapt out of the woods and onto the campsite where his nightmare had begun. Sniffing the air, he growled with every exhalation. “Where are you?” he shouted and then spun as he heard something in the woods behind him. Squinting into the darkness, he crouched forward, ready to spring. His scowl deepened as he heard more rustling from the same direction and others. “That’s right, I’m here,” he shouted as he spun, not knowing from which direction an attack might come. “Where’s my mother!? What have you done to her?”

Teeth bared, he sniffed deeply for a scent, trying to identify whether the wolf whose scent he’d caught at his home was present. His scowl held when three raccoons scampered out of the brush. Seconds later several squirrels, another raccoon, and an opossum moved into the clearing from his right, while dozens of mice and rats came out of the woods from all directions. Behind him, two deer and another opossum stepped into the clearing. He turned to face them as one of the deer backed away and ran off. He growled as several birds came to roost in the grass and a large crow swooped and almost landed on the end of his weapon. Swiping at the crow as it retreated, Alan turned, checking in all directions.

Puzzled, he stared as the animals moved in a wide semi-circle around him. He growled at the small army of creatures and began to advance but then remembered the wolves. Standing straight, he ignored the smaller animals and sniffed again for the larger ones he’d come to find. Quietly, the trackers tightened their circle. Several of the raccoons bared their teeth.

Alan sniffed the air deeply trying in vain to detect the scent of the wolves or, better yet, his mother. Smelling only the animals around him, he clenched his fists and shouted, “Come out, you cowards.” Again he scanned the tree line as he stepped in a slow circle. “Let my mother go. It’s me you want. Come and get me!” Exhaustion and emotion were overcoming anger and adrenalin as he began to pant, and tears filled his eyes. Dropping to his knees, he dropped his club. Hands in his hair, he sat back on his heels. “Mom, I don’t know where they’ve taken you. I don’t know what to do,” he whined. His body racked with sobs, he screamed, “Mom!”

Accepting that he had failed, that he had no idea where the wolves or his mother were, Alan sagged to the ground in tears. The animals around him remained alert but were content to wait as he held his position. A large crow took to the air. It circled several times before leaving its charge to the others and flying off into the darkness.

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